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Philippines, 01 Jun 2025 |
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Frisco Concepcion: The Most Overlooked Name in Pinoy Boxing By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT PhilBoxing.com Sat, 08 Mar 2025  Boxing history remembers its champions, but some fighters, despite their triumphs, slip through the cracks. Frisco Concepcion is one of them. He was the first man to defeat Pancho Villa, the Filipino powerhouse who would go on to become a world flyweight champion. But instead of securing his place in history, that victory faded into obscurity. His story survives only in the fading pages of old newspapers, overshadowed by the rise of the man he once bested. The Seattle Union Record reported on November 6, 1922: "Villa, whose real name is Pedro Tingzon, started boxing in 1919 as a vacuum weight, a category for fighters weighing 90 pounds or less. With a string of victories, he soon became the division’s top name. But before stepping into the flyweight ranks, he suffered his first defeat against another Filipino fighter— Frisco Concepcion." 
Three years later, on July 15, 1925, the same paper reaffirmed this account: "In 1920, Pancho was the recognized paperweight champion of the Orient, only to lose that title when he dropped his first decision to a Filipino boy, Frisco Concepcion." However, official records make no mention of it. Concepcion’s victory is nowhere to be found on BoxRec.com or Boxerlist.com. The fight is absent from the fight archives, as if it never took place. How A Farm Boy-Turned-Fighter Beat Pancho Villa In a comprehensive feature article, Felix M. Caliwag of The (Philippine) Sunday Times Magazine on June 19, 1960 tried to rectify the oversight. He discussed the life and times of Concepcion and how he beat Villa. Born on August 21, 1901, in San Felipe, Zambales, Frisco Concepcion spent his early years working the land. At 16, an American businessman and U.S. Marine named Ed Gallaher recognized his potential and introduced him to boxing. Under Gallaher’s mentorship, Concepcion developed a heavy punch, something aimed mainly at the point of his opponent’s chin. He was knocking down opponents like Varias Milling, Joe Suzara, and Pablo Dano. “One April afternoon in 1921, Pancho Villa, Manila’s reigning flyweight champion, agreed to a fight against Frisco Concepcion. His manager, Paquito Villa, strongly advised against it, believing other opponents were more deserving. But Pancho took the fight anyway, stepping into the ring without his manager’s approval. “What followed was a punishing eight-round war in Olongapo, Zambales. Concepcion controlled six rounds, while Pancho won only two. Despite Villa’s relentless body attack, Concepcion outboxed and outworked him. When the final bell rang, there was no debate— Frisco had won. “But victory came at a price. The body punches Pancho landed were so brutal that Concepcion needed a full week to recover. The fight left both men battered. There was no rematch. “After his retirement from the fight game, Concepcion found a new passion behind the camera lens. His manager, Ed Gallaher, who ran a portrait studio on the side, introduced him to photography. Inspired by this, Frisco transitioned from fighter to photographer, making it his lifelong career,” Mr. Caliwag explained. A Career in the Shadows Defeating Pancho Villa before he became a world champion should have been the defining moment of Frisco Concepcion’s career. However, over time, the fight faded from official records, surviving only in aging newspaper clippings. Boxing history has seen many fights lost to time. As Pancho Villa rose to international fame, certain details of his early career may have been left behind. Whether lost in the shuffle or simply not widely recorded, Concepcion’s greatest triumph never found its place in the history books. While Pancho Villa became the first Filipino world champion in 1923, Frisco Concepcion continued fighting in the Philippines. He faced tough opponents such as Joe Suzara, Clever Sencio, Cowboy Reyes, and Pablo Dano, proving his determination in the ring. By 1923, Manila’s boxing scene was beginning to decline. The Referee (Sydney, Australia) reported that many Filipino fighters were leaving for the U.S. and Australia in search of better opportunities. Concepcion, however, chose to stay. As top talent departed, the local boxing scene struggled, and high-profile matches became increasingly rare. While others found success abroad, Concepcion remained in the Philippines— a skilled fighter whose contributions went largely unrecognized. 
The Final Bell On August 29, 1962, he passed away at 62. The Bayonne Times ran his obituary, acknowledging him as a fighter from Philippine boxing’s golden era. But the night he beat Pancho Villa— the fight that should have defined his legacy— was only briefly mentioned. He left behind his widow, Gregoria Trinidad, and their daughter, Angelita. To them, he was more than a boxer. He was a husband, a father, a man who had once made his mark in the ring, only to watch it fade. He had fought legends, endured the highs and lows of a brutal sport, and beaten a future world champion. But history had moved on. The official records may not acknowledge him, but the truth remains. Frisco Concepcion was the first man to defeat Pancho Villa— not Frankie Genaro, not Bud Taylor, not Bobby Wolfast nor Jimmy McLarnin. His victory, absent from boxing’s official history, still lives in the yellowed pages of old newspapers, in the memories of those who knew. His story is not just about a missing fight. It is a reminder that history does not always honor those who deserve it. Frisco Concepcion fought one of the greatest boxers of all time and left his mark, whether history acknowledges it or not. Sources and Recommended Readings: • Seattle Union Record (Seattle, Washington) • Wed, Jul 15, 1925 • Page 4 • Seattle Union Record (Seattle, Washington) • Mon, Nov 6, 1922 • The Bayonne Times (Bayonne, New Jersey) • Page 16 • Wed, Aug 29, 1962 • “The Conqueror of Pancho Villa” by Felix M. Caliwag, Sunday Times Magazine, June 19, 1960, pp. 18-19. • Top Photo of Frisco Concepcion, The Ring, June 1924 (Public Domain) Click here to view a list of other articles written by Emmanuel Rivera, RRT.  |
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